Abstract: A firearm having a pistol grip panel retention system is provided, including a frame to receive grip panels. The frame has grip offset surfaces to receive the grip panels. The grip offset surfaces have forward frame undercuts. The frame and grip panels have fasteners to secure the panels to the frame. The grip panels have forward grip undercuts facing a trigger side of the frame to receive a forward frame undercut disposed on the sides of the frame. Each forward grip undercut engages the corresponding forward frame undercut by seating each grip panel in its grip offset surface and translating each grip panel toward the trigger side of the frame. Buffers are disposed between the forward frame undercut and the forward grip undercut. Each grip panel is inserted into a grip offset surface and translated forward to an engagement position.

Abstract: A system for securing a barrel to a receiver of a rifle includes a barrel extension and a locking wedge. The barrel extension receives threads on the barrel and has a protuberance. The locking wedge is secured in an aperture in the receiver by a fastener. The locking wedge has a side parallel to the aperture, and a cam side disposed at an angle. The locking wedge is movable in a direction perpendicular to the barrel axis. The cam side is disposed against the protuberance. Tightening the fastener causes the cam side of the locking wedge to urge the protuberance of the barrel extension along the barrel axis in a direction away from the muzzle end of the barrel into the receiver.

Abstract: A drop safety trigger assembly is provided having a fire control housing mounted in a receiver, a rotatable sear, a rotatable sear stop, and a sear release. When a force by a user is applied to the trigger shoe, the sear stop rotates at its pivot point against the force of the trigger spring to cause a sear stop protuberance to apply a force to an upper surface of the sear release to release a projection of the sear release from the notch of the sear to cause the sear to rotate due to the force of the firing pin spring on the second end of the sear to cause the first end of the sear to disengage from the firing pin to initiate a discharge of the rifle. When no force by a user is applied to the trigger shoe to rotate the sear stop, but when the sear projection of the sear release disengages from the notch of the sear, the sear projection of the sear stop engages the notch of the sear to prevent a discharge of the rifle.

Abstract: A disconnector trigger bar safety for a semi-automatic pistol is provided and includes a trigger bar having a firing pin end having a sear surface and a cam surface. The trigger bar has an inside surface disposed adjacent to the cam surface. A disconnector is moveable from an inward position to an outward position and has a cam surface to receive the cam surface of a trigger bar. An inset portion is provided on the trigger bar at the firing pin end that has a bottom surface. A protuberance on the side of the disconnector is provided to mate with the inset portion of the trigger bar. The protuberance has a top surface matable to the bottom surface of the inset portion. Rearward movement of the trigger bar causes the cam surface of the trigger bar to slide against the cam surface of the disconnector to move the firing pin end of the trigger bar downwardly. The disconnector moves to provide clearance for the trigger bar to move upward.

Abstract: A firearm having a grip panels and backstrap retention system is provided. A latch plate is disposed adjacent to the backstrap side of the frame having a pair of side edges having rearward facing protuberances thereon and is moveable perpendicular to the magazine well axis from an engagement position towards the trigger side of the frame to a disengagement position towards the backstrap side of the frame. A latch plate spring biases the latch plate to the disengagement position. Each grip panel has a forward grip undercut to receive corresponding forward frame undercuts. Each forward grip undercut engages the corresponding forward frame undercut by seating each grip panel in its grip offset surface and translating each grip panel toward the trigger side of the frame. Each grip panel further has a rearward grip undercut facing the frame to receive a corresponding undercut latch plate protuberance.

Abstract: A slide assembly for a pistol includes a slide, a firing pin, a firing pin spring and a firing pin retainer. The firing pin retainer includes left-side and right side flat surfaces disposed on the rails of the firing pin retainer on the top side. A rear sight is providing having a bottom side having a pair of threaded mounting holes. A pair of threaded mounting fasteners each having a head is provided to mount the sight on the slide. A pair of threaded mounting holes of the slide is coaxial with the threaded mounting holes of the rear sight, wherein the threaded mounting fasteners extend through the rear sight mounting holes in the slide and into the pair of mounting holes in the rear sight, wherein, when the firing pin retainer is fully seated in the grooves of the slide, the heads of the fasteners are captured by the flat surfaces of the firing pin retainer.

Abstract: An apparatus to minimize short stroke in a revolver is provided wherein a first end of the transfer bar is pivotably disposed on the trigger adjacent to the first end of a hand, the second end of the transfer bar disposed adjacent to the firing pin of the hammer, wherein during a firing cycle, prior to the revolver being brought back to the ready-to-fire position, the trigger cannot be depressed until the trigger is first fully undepressed, wherein the second end of the transfer bar engages a transfer bar blocking surface of the hammer slot in the hammer to prevent the trigger from being fully depressed.

Abstract: A takedown mechanism for disassembly of a striker-fired pistol, including a takedown release comprising a spring and a pin disposed in the pistol frame adjacent its rear end, the spring to bias the pin towards the barrel end of the frame and disposed against a hard stop on the frame; a takedown bar having a sear contact surface and movable along the longitudinal axis of the frame from a first position to a second position, wherein the takedown release biases the takedown bar towards the barrel end of the frame, wherein, in the first position, the takedown bar is disposed between the takedown release and the slide stop, wherein longitudinal movement of the takedown bar towards the barrel end is limited by the slide stop, wherein, in the second position, the takedown bar is disposed in a forward position toward the barrel end of the frame to cause the sear contact surface on the takedown bar to contact the second leg of the sear to cause the sear to rotate away from the tab of the pistol striker such that the f

Abstract: A modular grip panel system for a firearm has a frame to support a pair of grip panels and a backstrap. The system includes a left and right grip panels having pockets, and a backstrap having a boss. The frame has a grip disposed at its rear end having a left and right side bosses to engage the pockets of the grip panels, and a rear surface pocket to receive the backstrap boss. The grip panels are disposed on the side surfaces of the pistol-style grip by insertion of the bosses into the pockets. The backstrap is disposed on the rear surface of grip by insertion of the backstrap boss into the rear surface pocket. When the backstrap is secured to the frame, the boss of grip panels are held in a forwardmost position. The backstrap prevents movement of the left and right grip panels towards the rear end of the frame.

Abstract: A sear safety for a firearm is provided that includes a mode selection mechanism having a detent pin movable from an unlocked position to a locked position by a user. The sear includes a body having a first leg and a second leg. The body is pivotable about a pivot point between the first leg and the second leg. The sear has a first end surface on the first leg for contacting the firing element and a second end surface on the second leg for contacting a hard stop on the frame and for contacting the trigger bar. A pocket is on the second leg for receiving the detent pin when the detent pin is in the locked position to secure the sear against the hard stop. When the detent pin of is in the locked position, the sear is prevented from to rotating about its pivot point.

Abstract: A semi-automatic pistol is provided having a barrel, a frame and a slide. The slide is adapted for linear motion along the frame during a firing sequence and has a forward end and a block end. The forward end has an upper cam follower surface and a lower cam follower surface on the inside surface adjacent to the barrel. The barrel has a ramp cam surface adjacent to the chamber end of the barrel to effect locking and unlocking of the barrel relative to the slide during the firing sequence, a bottom cam surface and a top cam surface. The bottom cam surface and the top cam surface extend from the front end toward the chamber end of the barrel and each have undulating surfaces that moves against the lower cam follower surfaces of the slide to cause oscillation of the barrel while the slide moves during the firing sequence.

Abstract: A firearm having cartridges in a magazine is provided including a cartridge feed ramp disposed on the frame between the magazine chamber and the chamber end of the barrel. The cartridge feed ramp includes a base that is rigidly secured to the frame and a flexible tongue extending upwardly from the base, where the tongue acts as a spring and can deflect relative to the base. During a firing sequence, a top cartridge moves from the magazine in an upward direction toward the chamber end of the barrel, a front of the top cartridge contacts the flexible tongue of the cartridge feed ramp prior to entry by the cartridge into the chamber of the barrel, causing the flexible tongue to deflect outwardly in the direction of the front end of the barrel to assist the feeding of the top cartridge into the chamber end of the barrel.

Abstract: A semi-automatic pistol is provided having a barrel, a frame and a slide. The slide is adapted for linear motion along the frame during a firing sequence and has a forward end and a block end. The forward end has an upper cam follower surface and a lower cam follower surface on the inside surface adjacent to the barrel. The barrel has a ramp cam surface adjacent to the chamber end of the barrel to effect locking and unlocking of the barrel relative to the slide during the firing sequence, a bottom cam surface and a top cam surface. The bottom cam surface and the top cam surface extend from the front end toward the chamber end of the barrel and each have undulating surfaces that moves against the lower cam follower surfaces of the slide to cause oscillation of the barrel while the slide moves during the firing sequence.